Dunlop 4 wheel Disc brakes on BN4

[TFR1]

My BN4 began life as a disc wheel model. A decent car, but I have always wanted disc brakes.
I considered putting girling disc brakes on front and leaving drums on rear. Looked at the replica "peg drive" by Realm Engineering. I liked the look, but felt the car needed wire wheels.
In the early 1990's I raced in the Healey Challenge. Some of the US and British Big Healey contingent race cars had 4 wheel disc brakes. I did not think much of it until I read about Barry Perkins car on this forum 2 years ago. Barry's car was purchased by his Dad in 1957 and fitted with dunlop disc brakes for racing.

I corresponded with Barry and he helped me with a few details including rear rotor specs. I had some dunlop front and rear calipers so decided to fit dunlop brakes. It took about 6 months to get calipers cad plated, sleeved and rebuilt. The rest was pretty simple. It took about a week to fit parts.

Today I went for a my first ride. Great fun.

TFR1

 

[DerekJ]

Great work and a totally correct period option for the BN4. You can read more about them at https://www.healeysix.net/DiscBrakes.htm

 

[Deleted member 19315]

Looks like quality job, well done. Im interested in your wheel spinners they look great with the middle machined out, have you come across any disadvantages and where did the idea come from?
Andy

 

[TFR1]

I started vintage racing a wire wheel Healey in 1987. The guy that was mounting and balancing wheels and tires was having trouble with my Dunlop wire wheels in his machine. He actually bent the first wheel before he realized he had a problem. So I took a front hub and machined the spinner so that we could mount the whole unit in his balancing machine. I liked the look! Attached picture is of the car today, still sporting the "light weight" spinners, after almost 30 years of racing.

 

[Perk74]

Congrats on getting it back on the road, and glad I could help.

Barry

 

[Deleted member 19315]

Thank you for the reply, I think my spinners and lathe have a date coming !!!

 

[TFR1]

I forgot to add that functionally the only negative is that you will now need to use a dust cap of some sort.
I made a couple of foam plugs from some commercial refrigeration piping insulation. Easy to make and cheap.

TFR1

 

[mwagon]

Hi,
do you have any photos showing your Emergency Brake setup, such a Cable routing? What were Brake Disc do you use? One from a XK150?

 

[TFR1]

I will take some pictures of the emergency brake for you, but I changed very little from original. The only real change was to brake rod lengths. I cut and rewelded to suit E brake arm locations.
E brake works fine, but could be better. Too much travel at the handle in cockpit. Solutions are not obvious yet. Considered putting new hole in brake arm, effectively shortening the lever. Still thinking.
Front 2 1/8" Dunlops are from an XK 150 project that ended up with Wilwoods. Rears are non auto adjusting 1 1/2" and were from a MKII Jag.

TFR1

 

[steveg]

I sell bolt-on adapter plates which increase the leverage of the system, resulting in a better e-brake handle angle.

 

[steveg]

Updated the post above to show the brake extension plates in situ.

 

[hankjay]

TFR1 Would it be possible to publish the size of the rear brake rotors. I have most of the parts to go onto my BN2 but they don't seem to fit together. If you have the rotor size for the front that would be great two as the rotors I have are rather old and I would like to replace them if possible.
Hank